killer instinct
nounDefinition of killer instinct
: an aggressive tenacious urge for domination in a struggle to attain a set goal
Examples of killer instinct in a Sentence
Her killer instincts have helped her become one of the top tennis players in the world.
Recent Examples on the Web
Garrett finished sixth in the NFL with 13.5 sacks, but can still play with more killer instinct, say his former position coach. — Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com, "Freddie Kitchens agrees with Myles Garrett that ‘he can be more’," 29 July 2019 Extra credit: Studies show that drinking vinegar pickle juice helps with blood sugar levels for pre-diabetics (high-five to young me for killer instincts). — SFChronicle.com, "A world tour of pickles in the Bay Area and how to make them," 26 July 2019 Feared, at times hated, both men possessed killer instincts and had been with Neil almost from the beginning. — Randy Lewis, latimes.com, "Elliot Roberts, who managed Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, dies at 76," 21 June 2019 The Warriors learned Wednesday night that the Raptors have a killer instinct, the same brand of fiercely passionate performance that got them past Philadelphia and Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Warriors’ most important player? Game 3 shows why it might be Klay Thompson," 6 June 2019 The sense of unfinished business has simplified head coach Pat Casey’s job in keeping this year’s team focused, and its killer instinct has been on full display as the Beavers moved through the loser’s bracket. — Eric Single, SI.com, "College World Series Finals Preview: Breaking Down Oregon State vs. Arkansas," 24 June 2018 More competitive players might need to leave some of their killer instinct at the door, though, especially if playing with less experienced gamers. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Overcooked 2 puts some icing on the original’s delicious co-op cake," 7 Aug. 2018 Donald, witness to his father’s deepening disappointment, fashioned himself Fred Jr.’s opposite — the brash tough guy with a killer instinct. — Susanne Craig, The Seattle Times, "Trump engaged in suspect tax schemes as he reaped riches from father," 2 Oct. 2018 Once again, Madrid’s resourceful killer instinct set them apart and put them well on course for more European glory, whilst Bayern contemplate the errors which have once again cost them dearly. — SI.com, "Thomas Muller Rues Bayern Mistakes But Insists His Side Should Not be 'Ashamed' Following Madrid Tie," 2 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'killer instinct.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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